Step back in time to the 1800’s in the Northwest by attending the Cascade Mountain Men’s annual Muzzle Loading Arms and Pioneer Craft Tradeshow this weekend, March 11 & 12, 2017 at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington.
Photo Credit: Cascade Mountain Men, Inc.
This annual event is the largest of its kind, with more than 300 traders, exhibitors, and craftspeople from across the West, some as far away as Tennessee. The trade show displays at this expo will hopefully attract a lot of people to various stalls. They have brought their arms, trade goods, arts, crafts, and supplies to this show that celebrates and commemorates the Fur Trade and America’s westward expansion, Colonial America & Civil War periods.
Here you will find traditional (pre-1840) Muzzle Loading firearms (original, custom, and production replicas, gun building kits). Plus custom parts, accessories, and supplies. Come talk to custom gun builders and learn about their craft. They are very knowledgeable and will be able to teach you everything you need to know about these specific firearms, as well as how you may need to check out something like this guide (https://gunlawsuits.org/gun-laws/georgia/concealed-carry/) that goes into detail about gun concealment laws, and what you need to do to make sure that you are following the relevant gun safety laws in your area. Either way, make sure you come down and chat with the experts.
If you’re after even more accessories for your firearms then you can check out products available online, including a gun belt review over on the Outdoor Empire website. Doing a bit of research will help you decide which one is for you and whether or not the product you’re looking at satisfies your needs. Other than a belt or holster, you may want to consider things like scopes, silencers, and more to kit out your firearm to the spec that you want. If you’re also wanting to learn more about traditional weapons from over 100 years ago, you might want to check out a website similar to Forgottenweapons.com and others that can go in-depth into firearms that have been manufactured and used since the inception of the first gun.
Photo Credit: Cascade Mountain Men, Inc.
There will also be Leather & Fur Goods – Period Clothing and Camping Gear – Early & Native American Crafts – Primitive Archery – Trade Goods – Craft Supplies – Beads – Art – Historical and How-to Books. Bring the kids and make it a history lesson for the day. Ages 12 and under are admitted FREE. All minors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Handcrafted arts, primitive archery, plus traditional and period guns and accessories. Photo Credit: Carla Conrad
Mountain men were most common in the North American Rocky Mountains from about 1810 through to the 1880s (with a peak population in the early 1840s). Approximately 3,000 mountain men ranged the mountains between 1820 and 1840, the peak beaver-harvesting period. While there were many free trappers, most mountain men were employed by major fur companies. The life of a company man was almost militarized. The men had mess groups, hunted and trapped in brigades and always reported to the head of the trapping party. This man was called a “boosway”, a bastardization of the French term bourgeois. He was the leader of the brigade and the head trader.
Mountain men were instrumental in opening up the various Emigrant Trails (widened into wagon roads) allowing Americans in the east to settle the new territories of the far west by organized wagon trains traveling over roads explored and in many cases, physically improved by the mountain men and the big fur companies originally to serve the mule train based inland fur trade.
Traditional and primitive archery at the Cascade Mountain Man Trade Show in Monroe. Photo Credit: Carla Conrad
Get off the Couch! Get outfitted for a Rendezvous! Show hours are: Saturday, March 11 from 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday, March 12 from 9 am to 3 pm.
Admission for everyone 13 and older is $8 per day. Children 12 and under are admitted FREE. Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
The Evergreen State Fairgrounds are located at: 14405 179th Ave SE, Monroe, WA 98272 and the event is held in the Gary D. Weikel Events Center.
For more information about the Cascade Mountain Men, go to: www.cascademountainmen.com
Schedule & locations for Mountain Men craft shows